The Writer’s Guild of America Strike that started on Nov. 5, has somehow stretched its way through yet another calendar month with over a $1 billion in losses, according to the Jan. 13 edition of NBC Nightly News. The question arises as to why it is still happening.

The writers have their reasons as to why they started the strike. One of the many has to do with the fact that they work behind the scenes. Their hard work is, more often than not, overlooked while the actor is the one in the spotlight. Yet it is not necessarily the actors who are shunned upon by the writers. Along with the spotlit fame comes a hefty paycheck, something that the writers are currently lacking.

There have been rumors that the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight. However, even if this rumor does in fact become a reality, the amount in losses will take a great amount of time to revive and it is a good possibility that the industry will forevermore be damaged from it.

It seems as though the strike is being dragged out to no end. This strike has only lasted half as long as the writer’s strike prior to this one, which occurred in 1988. The difference between this writer’s strike and the one 20 years ago has to do with the amount of promotion behind it. The entertainment medium is at a completely different level than where it was at then, and news travels quicker. This has resulted into many being completely bombarded by the idea that there is a writer’s strike happening, and frankly, it is quite an annoyance.

OK writers, we get the point: you’re not happy with where you stand in the whole Hollywood scene. But wasn’t that your choice to begin with? Didn’t you decide on a smaller paycheck in exchange to go into an industry that you enjoy?

I personally believe that it is being too overdone. The attention is on them now, and perhaps that is what they intended. In the meantime, we want our “24” back.

Sarah Kay Hannon can be reached at [email protected]